Local resident given driving ban after misusing Kintbury level crossing

[whole diary]

[Chris from Nailsea]

From a Network Rail press release:

Local resident given driving ban after misusing Kintbury level crossing

A local resident has been found guilty of dangerous driving and banned from driving for 12 months after deliberately driving over Kintbury level crossing after the barriers had been lowered.

Roxy Primrose Cox, from Kintbury, ignored the warning lights and drove her car around the already lowered entrance barriers when using the crossing on 17 December 2013. Her actions meant the signaller at Kintbury signal box had to delay the exit barrier sequence to make sure that she was able to safely clear the crossing.

She was found guilty of dangerous driving at Reading Magistrates Court on Thursday, 7 August and was banned from driving for 12 months. She was also ordered to pay a fine of ^375 and court costs of ^750.

Tony Conn, Network Rail^s level crossings manager, said: ^Sadly, this is not an isolated incident. We have received reports of a number of people not obeying the warning lights and risking their lives and other people^s to save a few minutes on their journey.  I hope that the prosecution of this driver acts as a deterrent to others and shows that this kind of dangerous behaviour is a risk in more ways than one.^

Network Rail is committed to improving safety on and around the railway and is currently offering local residents the opportunity to find out more about how the railway works by coming on a tour of Kintbury signal box.

The tours give people a chance to see how the signalling and points systems work to keep trains running safely and reliably. They also provide information and advice on how to use Kintbury level crossing correctly.

Anyone interested in participating in a tour is asked to contact Bill Veloz on 07476 418853 or via email kintburycrossing@hotmail.com.

[trainer]

From a Network Rail press release:

Network Rail is committed to improving safety on and around the railway and is currently offering local residents the opportunity to find out more about how the railway works by coming on a tour of Kintbury signal box.

The tours give people a chance to see how the signalling and points systems work to keep trains running safely and reliably. They also provide information and advice on how to use Kintbury level crossing correctly.

I wonder if part of a court order given to errant drivers guilty of level crossing infringements might be compulsory attendance on such a tour, but with some further emphasis and examples of the results of failing to stop.  I have in mind something similar to the speeding courses which can be chosen by first-time speeding offenders.  I believe (hearsay only) that they can be quite powerful.  I would not see the railway course being an option instead of prosecution, but part of the sentence.

[BerkshireBugsy]

Trainer, I think you make a good point about an awareness course. My wife took this course in lieu of points and at the time it had quite an impact.

In my opinion it would be relatively easy to put together a hard hitting session that shows the impact of what happens when level crossings are not used in their intended manner - especially when news footage of Ufton Nervett is available.

I do understand that the intentions of the drivers at Inkpen and Ufton were different but the end results could be very similar.

[JayMac]

No mention whether Ms Cox already had points on her licence but if not then it does appear we had a prosecutor and magistrate appreciate the seriousness of the incident. Too often such incidents are prosecuted as careless rather than dangerous driving, with 3-6 points and a small fine being the norm.